Mr. Kieran Brennan:

Can I add to that? Within the military framework we have a structure stretching from section to platoon to company. People are trained to operate within that structure. A figure of 12 seems to be pulled out of the air. In regard to the minimum figure we would need for any kind of operation, for example Kabul was a platoon-level operation with supporting elements. That is where I see the wisdom of inserting that particular stipulation of up to 50 people, at the discretion of the Government, to deal with issues, even a simple thing like a sporting fixture. A number of years ago we had to try to get a hurling team to play a hurling match in London and we had to go through hoops to get the team to London because of this figure of 12. It impacts not just on operational matters but on social and sporting matters.